Pakistan court hands Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha additional 10 years in jail

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sentenced human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, to an additional 10 years in prison each on Thursday, in a case involving the alleged dismantling of security barriers and interference in state affairs.

How was ATC verdict delivered inside Adiala Jail?

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the ruling during a jail trial held at Central Jail Rawalpindi (Adiala Jail). The special court awarded concurrent sentences under three separate legal provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), alongside imposing financial penalties on both legal practitioners.

The verdict follows an expedited trial that commenced shortly after the couple was indicted on October 7. While the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, the court appointed state defense counsel Atif Mahmood to represent them during evidentiary sessions. The prosecution presented a total of seven witnesses, all of whom were cross-examined before the court reserved its judgment and pronounced the convictions.

Prior to the announcement, defense counsel Aimal Mandokhail urged the court to defer the verdict, arguing that legal applications seeking the transfer of the case and challenging the invocation of anti-terrorism sections remained pending before the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court. Counsel argued that the trial court could not lawfully hand down a final judgment while superior courts were actively reviewing constitutional petitions concerning the trial's jurisdiction.

What are origins of security breach charges and compounding convictions?

The case stems from an incident registered on October 25, 2024, at Islamabad’s Aabpara police station during the visit of the England national cricket team.

Police authorities alleged that the couple dismantled official road barricades, scuffled with traffic and security officials, and created a security hazard along the designated VIP movement corridor. The First Information Report (FIR) invoked Section 7 of the ATA alongside PPC provisions including Section 353 (assault to deter a public servant from discharge of duty) and Section 186 (obstructing a public servant).

The additional 10-year terms add to a mounting series of legal challenges against the two rights defenders.

In January 2026, a sessions court in Islamabad sentenced Mazari and Chattha to 17 years' imprisonment each under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over controversial social media posts.

Although the Supreme Court suspended those sentences and granted them bail on September 17, police rearrested the couple within hours in connection with the security barrier FIR. Both had secured temporary bail in the barrier case before Thursday’s conviction revoked their relief.

The defense team has confirmed that the convictions will be challenged through formal statutory appeals before the Islamabad High Court.